What are the health risks of varicose veins?

How risks of varicose veins are often underestimated

If you detect swollen veins, it’s recommended to consider early treatment, to avoid further health problems down the track. GPs and patients sometimes assume that swollen or varicose veins are just a cosmetic symptom. Leaving varicose veins untreated can lead to more serious health issues at a later stage. That’s because varicose veins are only an external symptom of an underlying vein problem: venous reflux. This occurs when the valves in your veins are not functioning the way they should, and blood starts to pool in the veins of your legs.

So what are my health risks if I don’t have my varicose veins checked?

If you have varicose veins, and you don’t look into the underlying causes, you may be at risk of Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT). Research shows that the risk of DVT in patients with untreated varicose veins is 3 to 4 times higher than the risk in the rest of the population.

DVT is most common in the deeper veins of legs and thighs. When your blood thickens, the condition can cause blood clots which can travel through your body and block your blood flow in vital areas such as the lungs.

Other risks of not paying attention to the visible symptoms (ugly or swollen veins) include a risk of Superficial Venous Thrombosis: in this case there is blood clotting in the surface veins rather than in the deeper veins. SVT can occur particularly in pregnant women.

Additional risks of varicose veins include complications such as PPS (Post-Phlebitis Syndrome). Its symptoms are swelling, leg pain and skin discolouration. Untreated vein conditions can trigger a number of skin problems such as pigmentation, irritation, eczema and ulceration.

Should I be worried about the risks of varicose veins?

The current treatment options for varicose veins are often minimally invasive and there is no reason to worry about acute health risks with varicose veins. However, if you choose not to have them checked out by a vein specialist, the complications of untreated vein conditions can be serious and they are also more difficult to treat once they are established.

Early treatment is safest

Based on our expertise at Perth Vein Clinic, we are confident to say that it is best to choose early treatment, if you suffer from any type of vein condition. First of all, vein removal through laser treatment or ultrasound guided sclerotherapy improves the way your legs look and feel. And because we treat the underlying causes in the deeper veins, your vein treatment also prevents the complications we have listed from developing.